1984 Los Angeles Highlights
In retaliation for America’s boycott of the Moscow Olympics, Hungary bowed to Soviet pressure and did not participate in Los Angeles. However, there was still Hungarian Gold and Silver!
- The “next Nadia,” legendary gymnast Ecaterina Szabo wins 4 Gold Medals for Rumania!
- Hungarian-American Volleyball Legend Karch Kiraly wins first of 3 Golds for USA! “The Greatest Volleyballer Ever.” He’ll repeat Gold in 1988 and make history in 1996 with a 3rd Gold, this time in grueling Beach Volleyball.
Hungarian Medals!
Medal
Name
Event
Ecaterina Szabo
Gymnastics: All Around Team
Ecaterina Szabo
Gymnastics: Floor Exercise
Ecaterina Szabo
Gymnastics: Balance Beam
Ecaterina Szabo
Gymnastics: Horse Vault
Elena Horvat (Horvath)
Rowing, Women’s Coxless Pairs
Karch Király
Indoor Volleyball
Marcela Zsak
Fencing, Women’s Foil Team Competition
Elena Horvat (Horvath)
Fencing, Women’s Foil Team Competition
Aurora Dan
Fencing, Women’s Foil Team Competition
Rozalia Oros
Fencing, Women’s Foil Team Competition
Aneta Mihaly
Rowing, Women’s Eights
Stefan Tasnadi
Weightlifting, Men’s Heavyweight (110 kg)
Iosif Boros (Boros József)
Handball, Men’s Team Competition
Vilnos (Vilmos) Szabo
Fencing, Men’s Sabre Team Competition
Vasile Puscasu (Vilmos Puskas)
Wrestling, Freestyle Heavyweight (100 kg)
Related
Featured 1984 Olympians
Karch Kiraly:(b. 11/3/1960, Jackson, Michigan, USA)
The “greatest volleyballer ever”…
Charles (Károly) Frederick “Karch” Kiraly (prounounced “Kee-rye”) of
the United States is regarded by many as the greatest volleyballer ever. He
learned the game from his father, a Hungarian doctor who had played the sport in
his native country, and on the beaches of California, where Kiraly grew up. In
1986, the FIVB declared him the top player in the world, the first time that
distinction had been given. He won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics,
1985 World Cup, 1986 World Championships, and 1987 Pan-American Games. He played
at UCLA in college, where he led them to three NCAA championships and was twice
named most valuable player of the NCAA Tournament. Playing professionally in
Italy, he helped Il Messaggero win the 1991 World Club Championship. Later a
star at beach volleyball, he was the leading money winner and top player at that
sport for most of the early 1990s. At Atlanta in 1996, Kiraly partnered Kent
Steffes to win the inaugural Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball. He did not
compete at the 2000 Olympics, but continues to compete on the beach volleyball
circuit.
Olympic medals: Gold: 3
World Championships: Gold: 1 (1986)
Pan American Games: Gold: 1 (1987)
- See the International Olympic Committee’s Heroes or
- See Famous Hungarians’ own Sports section
Ecaterina Szabo:
(b. Transylvania)
An ethnic
Hungarian from Transylvania, Szabo knew not a word of Romanian prior
to starting gymnastics. Coached by fellow Transylvanian-Hungarian
legends Bela and Marta Karoly, she was known as the “next Nadia.”
Read more about Ecaterina (Szabó Katalin) – See Gymnastic
Greats
Emilia Eberle:(b. 3/4/1964, Arad, Transylvania)
Gertrud Emilia Eberle is an ethnic Hungarian from Arad. The Rumanians felt “Gertrud” was not ethnic Rumanian-sounding, so she used Emilia in competition. Emilia was also coached by the Karoly’s and competed along side Nadia Comaneci under the Rumanian flag. She was expected to take Gold in 1984 after her double-silver performance in 1980, but surgery cut her career short. She defected to Hungary in 1989 and eventually came to the United States where she coaches at Pozsar’s Gym in California. See Gymnastic Greats